


Worse than Scum

by 72HoursMassacre



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, POV Hatake Kakashi, POV Uzumaki Naruto, Post-Chapter 698 (Naruto)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25982182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/72HoursMassacre/pseuds/72HoursMassacre
Summary: Sasuke is going to rot in Konoha's prison, because he allowed the very person who wouldn't mind flipping the world upside down to free him, to advocate his freedom.Isn't life bored to be this ironic all the time?
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Worse than Scum

**Author's Note:**

> Kishimoto didn't deliver either any kind of justice for Sasuke or the Naruto we deserved, and so this small token is really long overdue.
> 
> Hope you enjoy. Any kind of criticism, welcome.

This hasn't been a good idea since the moment Naruto entered his office three days ago, oozing enough murderous intent to suffocate a battalion and requested, _demanded_ , a meeting with the Elders.

Not that, whatever his answer would be, he hoped to reason with him, much less stop him - who has ever stopped Naruto when it came to Sasuke? - but with every passing second it only becomes clearer, just how much of a self-destructive idea it was.

Things never end well when Naruto has _this_ look in his eyes.

"Alright, we're all busy people so, I'll get straight to the point... It's about 14.10 and I'm meeting Sakura-chan for ramen at 15.00, so; Sasuke will be a free man in about half an hour which will give him enough time to take a quick shower and then join us. Thank you for your cooperation." 

What did he expect, really?

"...Please excuse him, he's just really upset. He doesn't know what he's saying."

"Even so Lord Sixth, if he's the person who you recommended as the Seventh, then at the very least, he should be taught how to behave in the face of his superiors."

"Or else?"

Sasuke is going to rot in Konoha's prison, because he's allowed the very person who wouldn't mind flipping the world upside down to free him, to advocate his freedom.

"What did you just say?" 

Isn't life bored to be this ironic all the time?

"I think you heard me just fine. if I don't behave, what will happen then?"

Well, life definitely isn't bored to add to his infinite list of regrets -for how else is he supposed to interpret Naruto trying to intimidate Konoha's governors with pure Nine-Tails' _malice_?

"Naruto! Control yourself. You don't help Sasuke's situation like this!"

"I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei..."

At least those slitted red eyes can instill fear - if his own shivering is anything to go by - without risking the shattering of anyone's bones, like said malice.

"...I swear I had, like, a whole speech prepared for this but... to be honest I don't see why I should bargain with the perpetrator for the life of their victim."

So... this is why Minato-sensei never allowed Kushina anywhere near Konoha's powerholders, as much as he agreed with her passionate arguments and her unwavering sense of justice.

Naruto really is her son.

(In both the good and the bad ways.)

"... This is your last warning to watch your tone, kid." 

All the previous Hokage will be ashamed of him.

Not only will he be written down on history as the most useless of the Hokage, only needed to fill the position until the much awaited Seventh Hokage is prepared to take over, but also as the person who was foolish enough to condemn the last survivor of the great Uchiha clan - who just happens to be capable of burning the whole planet down if he wakes up one day unwilling to submit himself to the very source of all his misery.

"Is this any tone to talk to the person you own your life to?"

"Naruto!"

Pointless.

It's over. 

It's all his fault.

(Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke. Who would they be, had they not been unfortunate enough to be taken under his wing? Who would they be, if the Third had heeded his warnings that he's not... _cut_ to lead a Genin team, and someone else was put in charge? -Asuma? Kurenai?- 

-Guy.

Guy knows how to fix something broken.

He only knows how to destroy.)

And even after acknowledging his previous mistakes, even after Naruto has already _saved_ them the hardest part of the _ordeal_ at the cost of one arm, even holding the highest position in the government, it appears it's simply impossible for him to deal with any situation without letting Sasuke down.

_Those who don't follow the rules are scum._

"I feel like I'm being misunderstood Kakashi-sensei. I feel like my superiors should realise that at this point in time the only person who stands in the way of Sasuke delivering a punishment worse than death, is none other, than yours trully. That being said, Sasuke is a free man until his official trial with the rest of the Kage, in which I expect a rich testimony on why he should be let free to do whatever the fuck he likes..."

_But those who abandon their friends are even worse than scum._

"Your choice, of course. You might as well ignore me completely. But in that case, I'm really interested in what the Nine Tails Jinchurichi and an Uchiha with the Rinnegan can do to a Village and two stubborn, _powerless_ geezers."

Who would Team 7 be, under Obito's tutelage? 

Even absent, Obito has _shaped_ Team 7 more than he will ever _shape_ them.

Obito has _shaped_ Team 7 before he could shape him.

"Also, by all means, order your 13-year-old Anbu to murder me in my sleep. Isn't that what you do best? Besides... Kurama hasn't had any real fun in a while."

And yet they still-

"Oh! Kakashi-sensei, you're invited to join us later, of course. Good afternoon." 

But... he's always been better at going with the flow, getting lost on whatever path life presented to him, so just like everything else in Naruto's world, he can, must, _will_ change.

(He should treat them sometime to thank them for their superhuman patience with him.)

No more being ordered around by people _worse than scum._

No more being scum or worse than scum or anything in between.

From the very start, the rules should have been not to abandon one's friends. 

From the very start, this world was.. wrong.

No.

Even if the world doesn't change, even if it will eventually be proven that's his just too late, he is about to become a scum worse than the worst of the scum.

That way, maybe he can become worthy of Team 7.

Maybe, at least for once, his father will be proud of him.

Maybe, at least for once, Sasuke won't be ashamed of him. 

* * *

Honestly, this hasn't been a good idea - not even by his, as his friends call it, _low standards_ \- since the moment it was conceived, when Kakashi-sensei showed up at Ichiraku's _alone_... joined them for lunch and detailed them on The Elders' decision.

"I believe I have a door."

(Sure, but by choosing the back window to that dark alley, he's at least pretending to care to be discreet.)

Oh, well. 

Won't be the first, certainly won't be the last bad idea.

"Would you open it?"

"Won't know until you try it."

"Couldn't risk it."

"You're not supposed to be here."

No. He really isn't. _He's under 24/7 surveillance by Anbu, no one is allowed near him until his official trial_ , apparently. But most importantly, said bad idea doesn't involve Sakura-chan and she certainly won't _appreciate_ this.

Well, he'll just accept extras of her beating tomorrow. That should be enough to compensate.

"Don't worry about me. The Anbu know I'm here-"

After all, they can't possibly be thinking that Sasuke will take the time of day to even eat anything of substance unless he breaks into his house and forcefully fills his fridge. 

"What are you-"

He's saving his sorry ass. They should be thanking him, for fuck's sake.

"Sai's amongst them, so... Not that it changes much, of course. They can't take me, anyway. I currently happen to be the strongest person in the world, you see."

"You wish." 

"... _I will admit it, I lost_ , was it?"

Then again, he might have forgotten. That day has been pretty... hectic, to put it _kindly_. It wouldn't be surprising if he doesn't remember every detail of what they said. 

He himself doesn't of course. He just happens to remember the specific line because it was the closest he has ever come to an actual victory against him, as much as that one wasn't a battle to determine who's better. _Right_. He doesn't remember everything. Only the important stuff. _Definitely_. 

"Your wildest fantasies came true. You're welcome."

"Oh, no. You have a long way to go before you fulfill my _wildest fantasies_ , Sasuke."

.

.

_Huh_.

Now that _pause_ of his, is a clear, undisputed victory. 

This must be a joke. Why the hell are his fingers trembling from something so insignificant?

"Why did they suddenly free me before the trial?"

For both of their sakes and possibly the world's, he really should get out of his face _this instant._

_Fucking fingers_. Is this really a victory at this point?

"Didn't they say?"

"What did you do?"

"Not much I cou-"

"I said. What did you do."

What he promised. 

"I just... reminded them of a few important things, that's all."

"Did you threaten the Council? They could charge you with treason. They could jail you. They could order your assassination. Those people... can make you Hokage."

.

Is he-

.

**_Oi, brat. Calm down. Of course, he's worrying about you, what did you expect after what you pulled..._ **

_Great_ , bow he's even awoken Kurama.

"Konoha's people will make me Hokage, not the Council. And once they do, it's bye bye to those sick fucks' power."

.

.

**_Ha! That got him, good one, Naruto!_ **

This really is not a good time for Kurama patronizing the-

Sack. Clothes. Maps?

.

.

.

_**Kid...** _

"Will you... leave?"

Of course.

Of course, Sasuke will spend his remaining days in Konoha, preparing to leave it behind _again_.

"If all goes well."

He knew it. 

(Deep down, he's somehow known ever since that night he... persuaded the guards to at least allow them five minutes to talk, sat against the bars of his cell and amongst his vivid, well, _monologue_ he disclosed that _Tsunade-baa-chan said she's going to experiment on the First's cells to create synthetic arms for us, isn't this great?_ and he stayed silent - not the typical _I'm only half listening to you_ type of Sasuke silent, the _I'm having thoughts I'm too much of a douche to confide in you_ type of _fucking_ Sasuke silent - for almost an entire minute, until he answered _I thank her for her offer but, even if I get out of here alive, I won't be needing one._ )

Damn it. He swore to himself he won't... hope.

Who would willingly stay in a place where every corner holds memories of everything they lost? Who would willingly stay loyal to a state that's at fault for everything they lost?

"How long?"

No. 

This time, it's different. This time, he isn't coming back. As many times as he may return-

"... However long it takes."

Sasuke will never _stay_.

Sasuke will never be back... _home_? Konoha isn't Sasuke's home.

He will never make Konoha Sasuke's home.

**_Naruto, if you don't want him to go, try talking to him for a change. Maybe you can find a middle solution. You two are starting to get on my nerves..._ **

"You should-

Sasuke cannot be happy in Konoha.

-take those with you, then. They're really good. No one believed they'd be this good, but I showed them!"

**_Naruto-_ **

It's okay.

"You... grew those?... You grow tomatoes?"

If Sasuke can be happy elsewhere, _anywhere_ , it's _all_ okay.

"Yes."

If Sasuke can be happy with someone else, _anyone_ , so be it.

**_Oi, your fist, brat, I'm not healing you if you bleed._ **

"You're still into gardening?"

After all, as long as he is alive, Sasuke will never be alone again.

"I know, I'm surpris-"

_Still_? How does he know? He hasn't been very _active_ about it until after Sasuke defected and, he's certain the first person who has noticed was Shikamaru and by mere chance.

**_Would you look at that? Seems like he's been watching you closely too..._ **

Sasuke was-?

**_Can't believe you act so suprised over this small fact after everything you two have been through..._ **

"You should use that time to rest. I'm sure prison wasn't a _beautiful_ _experience_."

"I've had _way_ worse."

"... I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

For what?

For not being able to understand him sooner? For not _deleting_ Konoha even after he learnt they're the reason he suffered? For allowing them to imprison him? 

For not walking down to that _fucking_ porch?

"... Fuck, I don't know... Everything."

"Sure, I'm sorry, too."

Not really, if he's to judge by that tone.

"For what?"

" _Fuck, I don't know. Everything._ "

"You, bastard, really have to-"

**_Breathe, kid. You don't want to turn this into a fight._ **

But fighting works for them. Fighting is better than hiding, better than _lying_.

No.

They're not the same desperate people in desperate situations they were before. It's about time they learn how to communicate with no physical pain involved.

"One last question and I'll be on my way... As you probably know, I will be testifying in your favour during your trial in four days and so I need to know... Should I reveal your true reasons behind... everything? Do you want me to reveal the truth about the Uchiha?"

.

.

.

He stands corrected. 

This is his first ever true victory against Sasuke Uchiha. 

**_Naruto..._ **

It's almost like after that _I want to fight you too, Naruto_ before the Chunin Exams. Almost like after that first _You became my closest friend_ before Sasuke had the chance to sacrifice him in the name of his hatred alongside everything else but didn't. Almost like after that _You said your dream was to become Hokage, right, Naruto? Shouldn't you spend your time training instead of running after me?_ before Sasuke claimed he would _kill him on a whim_ and he could, he was stronger than Team 7, but here he is breathing - _mostly_. Almost like after that _Your friend will be here shortly, he's on our side too,_ after Sasuke appeared on the battlefield, before Team 7 was complete once again. Almost like after that _Over and over and over and over and over! Just stand still and let me cut you down!_ before they were... complete once again.

This- this- this...

**_Adrenaline?_ **

Yes! Maybe! Thanks, Kurama!

How many people have seen Sasuke like this? So suprised, so discomposed, so open, so - 

\- alive.

Just like after that _When I see you blabbering about caring all that burden alone, somehow... I hurt.... So much that I can't ignore it._

"I'm pretty sure we won't need this _addition_ to win your freedom but it'd certainly be a great... asset and- well... It's a good opportunity... I think, it's high time the world knew. Your choice."

Alive. 

They had a rocky start but they're still alive. 

And, mark his words, he'll be having Sasuke glad for every minute of it. 

"You don't have to answer now. Think about it first and let me know. Later..."

_This_ is only the beginning.

_Those who break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum,_ right, Kakashi-sensei?

Well, rules don't matter anymore.

"Naruto."

May they become the worst of the worst of the worse than scum, if they must.

"Yes?"

Together, they're bringing about -

"...Have you had lunch?"

**_No point in trying to hide that smile, kid, you're already very_ obvious _..._**

"...No."

\- revolution.  
  



End file.
